Barry confident McCarthy partnership can make Blues engine room purr

Veteran midfielder looking forward to new lease of life at Goodison

Gareth Barry and James McCarthy in action against each other before they joined Everton

Considering how fine the margins were when it came to their Goodison arrivals, it now seems strange to imagine how last season might have panned out for Everton
without Gareth Barry
and James McCarthy
.

As the final minutes ticked away ahead of the transfer window slamming shut, the pair’s future hung delicately in the balance.

Having been midfield opponents in the FA Cup final at Wembley four months earlier, their respective situations were now rather different.

After playing in the Premier League since 1998 and a mere 12 months after winning the club’s first title in 42 years, the hugely experienced England international Barry was told by new manager Manuel Pellegrini that he was now surplus to requirements at Manchester City.

McCarthy, his junior by a decade was being touted for a big-money move back to the top flight after Wigan’s demise but despite interest from both Everton and other Premier League rivals, nobody had as yet matched Dave Whelan’s price tag.

But as the clock inched towards 11pm, Marouane Fellaini’s move to Manchester United freed up the funds for McCarthy’s £13million switch and the wages for Barry’s loan.

Gareth Barry

Their arrivals may have been a last-minute job but once Barry and McCarthy were through the doors at Finch Farm it seemed like they had been part of the furniture for years.

An almost immediate on-field understanding between the duo was struck up in the heart of the Blues midfield engine room with McCarthy’s youthful energy, covering every blade of grass, dovetailing perfectly with Barry’s wise football brain and intelligent passing in the anchor man role.

Given that they were able to create such a fruitful partnership in less than ideal beginnings, Barry believes that they can get even better throughout the oncoming campaign with the benefit of a full pre-season programme behind them following his return to the club this week on a permanent contract.

Barry, who has penned a three-year deal with the Blues, said: “James and I had a great season in terms of staying fit, playing a lot of games together and understanding each others’ games on the back of a last-minute decision to be brought in here.

“I’m hopeful that a full
pre-season with the team can improve myself, James as well and the whole team all together.

“Our main challenge at Everton this season is the expectation.

“Last season we produced some fantastic football and got some great results.

“As always, people will be expecting that again. It’s up to us to do that and along the way we’ve got European football to focus on too.

“There are some tough tasks ahead but we’ve got to be prepared for that expectation.”

While his previous boss had made an instant assessment of Barry’s abilities – in that he didn’t need him in his side – the midfielder is delighted to be back playing for Roberto Martinez, a manager who values his merits.

He said: “A manager knows a player’s strengths when he puts you into a team and lets you play to them.

“There are certain formations and movements to make on the pitch that are going to suit your game.

“It’s not just me the manager looks at like that, it’s every single player. He finds a spot in the team that’s going to suit them and that was one of the main things for me.

“Any player would want to stay at a club and get settled.

“It does make things so much easier in day-to-day life enjoying your football.

“I’ve not experienced moving around constantly but I can imagine it could be tough mentally and affect your football.

“Last season certainly helped me in terms of making a decision here for another three years and I’m really settled.”

Having been capped 53 times for England, Barry was, like the rest of the nation, left to be a frustrated onlooker on the World Cup action this summer as Roy Hodgson’s side finished bottom of their group.

A veteran of England’s 2010 campaign in South Africa, Barry believes he could have still been effective in Brazil.

He said: “I think I could have made a difference.

I’m sure every English player that wasn’t picked did.

“You’ve got to back yourself to say if you were playing for England you could have effected it and done a job.

“I’m no different. I watched all the England games as a fan and was obviously as frustrated as the players to not get out of the group.

“They were slightly unlucky. There are fine lines in football, especially in the World Cup and they just fell a tiny bit short.”

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Alastair Machray was appointed editor of The Liverpool Echo in 2005 and is also editor-in-chief of Trinity Mirror Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. He is a former editor of The Daily Post (Wales and England) and editor-in-chief of the company's Welsh operations. Married dad-of-two and keen golfer Alastair is one of the longest-serving newspaper editors in the country. His titles have won numerous awards and spearheaded numerous successful campaigns.